Rotatable housing of a computer peripheral device

ABSTRACT

A rotatable housing of a computer peripheral device includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is pivotally coupled to the second portion. The first portion has a first inclined surface and the second portion has a corresponding second inclined surface. The second inclined surface of the second portion can be rotated relatively to the first inclined surface of the first portion, thereby fundamentally changing the appearance of the housing by changing the angle between the first and second portions of the housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computerperipheral device, and in particular to a computer peripheral devicehousing having relatively rotatable parts.

2. Description of the Prior Art A computer peripheral device may havedifferent functions depending on different core technologies. Forexample, a computer peripheral device may include, but is not limited toa web cam, microphone, speaker, card reader . . . etc.

The housing and support design of the computer peripheral device playsan important role in adding more convenient functions and in creating anattractive appearance to lure any potential users. For example, in orderto obtain an optimum-viewing angle, a web cam housing is usuallyprovided with a ball-joint-like mechanism between the web cam body andweb cam support. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,738,094 and 6,431,507 disclose similarstructures in common use. While the use of pivotal supports as disclosedin these patents enables an optimum viewing angle to be obtained,thereby adding a convenient function, the overall appearance of theperipheral is quite rigid because the appearance of the housing itself,as opposed to the support structure, cannot be changed.

Another design can be observed from U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,692, in whichtwo speakers are connected together by a ball joint. Again, even thoughthe speakers are relatively movable, enabling adjustment of speakerangle, the speakers are located on the same axle line, and theirappearance still cannot be changed.

None of the prior housing designs discussed above enable the structureof the housing, as opposed to the position of housing supports orconnecting structures, to be changed in a way that provides both addedfunctionality and that substantively changes the overall appearance ofthe peripheral.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a housing of acomputer peripheral device that has mutually rotatable portions arrangedin a way that fundamentally change the appearance or formation of thehousing upon relative rotation of the portions.

To accomplish the advantage mentioned above, the housing of the computerperipheral comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the firstportion is pivotally coupled to the second portion. The first portionhas a first inclined surface and the second portion has a correspondingsecond inclined surface. The second inclined surface of the secondportion can be rotated relatively to the first inclined surface of thefirst portion to change the angle between the portions and therefore theappearance of the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view according to a first embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is another exploded isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 after beingrotated.

FIG. 6 is a top view according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 after being rotated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplatedmodes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be takenin a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustratinggeneral principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of theinvention is best defined by the appended claims.

FIGS. 1˜3 are isometric views of the present invention. The rotatablehousing of a computer peripheral device comprises a first portion 11 anda second portion 12. The first portion 11 is pivotally coupled to thesecond portion 12, and the first portion 11 has, at a first end, a firstflat surface 113 and, at a second end, a first inclined surface 114 at afirst angle A, and the second portion 12 has, at a first end, a secondflat surface 123 and, at a second end, a second inclined surface 124 ata second angle B. Referring to the FIG. 3, because first angle A ofportion 11 is the supplement angle of second angle B of the secondportion 12, i.e., the sum of the first angle and the second angle equals180 degrees, the first portion 11 and the second portion 12 may bearranged in a linear configuration.

As best shown in FIG. 1, the first portion 11 has an upper housing 111and lower housing 112, and the second portion 12 has an upper housing121 and lower housing 122. Either the first portion 11 or the secondportion 12 can receive a peripheral unit such as speaker 20.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the first portion 11 has an axle 115 and thesecond portion has a bearing 125 for receiving the axle 115 therein. Theaxle 115 further has a rib 117 and the bearing 125 correspondingly has agroove 127 such that once the first portion 11 is rotated, the rib 117can be pivoted within the groove 127. The axle 117 and the bearing 125have respective holes 116, 126 for facilitating the connection of powerand/or signal wires between the speaker 20 and a computer system (notshown).

By the structure mentioned above, once the first portion 11 is rotated,the first inclined surface 114 of the first portion 11 can be rotatedrelatively to the second inclined surface 124 of the second portion 12.Thus, a non-zero included angle θ may be formed between the firstportion 11 and the second portion 12 as shown in FIG. 5. The sound wavegenerated by the speaker 20 can be projected from a lateral direction toa diagonal direction.

Referring to FIG. 6, the second portion 12 may be configured to couplethe first portion 11 at each end. When each of the first portions 11 isrotated, the first inclined surface 114 of the first portion 11 can berotated relatively to the second inclined surface 124 of the secondportion 12. Thus, each of the first portion 11 and the second portion 12may be rotated to form a non-zero included angle θ as shown in FIG. 7.If each of the portions 11 contains a speaker 20 (or any peripheralunits), the sound wave generated by the speaker 20 can be projected froma lateral direction to a front direction.

While the description above refers to particular embodiments of thepresent invention, it will be understood that many modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claimsare intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the truescope and spirit of the present invention.

1. A rotatable housing of a computer peripheral device, the housingcomprising: a first portion and a second portion; wherein the firstportion is pivotally coupled to the second portion; wherein the firstportion has an first inclined surface at a first angle and a secondportion has a corresponding second inclined surface at a second angle;the first angle being a supplement angle of the second angle; wherebythe first inclined surface of the first portion can be rotatedrelatively to the second inclined surface of the second portion to varyan angle between the first portion and the second portion.
 2. Therotatable housing of the computer peripheral device as claimed in claim1, wherein the first portion has an axle and the second portion has abearing for receiving the axle.
 3. The rotatable housing of the computerperipheral device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the axle has a rib andthe bearing correspondingly has a groove for receiving the rib.
 4. Therotatable housing of the computer peripheral device as claimed in claim1, wherein at least the first portion or second portion contains aperipheral unit.
 5. A rotatable housing of a computer peripheral device,the housing comprising: a first portion and a second portion; whereinthe first portion is pivoted to the second portion, and the firstportion and the second portion are arranged in a linear configuration;wherein a first inclined surface of the first portion is rotatablerelative to a second inclined surface of the second portion such that,upon rotation, the first portion and the second portion has an includednon-zero angle therebetween.
 6. The rotatable housing of the computerperipheral device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first portion hasan axle and the second portion has a bearing for receiving the axle. 7.The rotatable housing of the computer peripheral device as claimed inclaim 6, wherein the axle has a rib and the bearing correspondingly hasa groove for receiving the rib.
 8. The rotatable housing of the computerperipheral device as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least the firstportion or second portion contains a peripheral unit.
 9. A rotatablehousing of a computer peripheral device, the housing comprising: a firstportion, a second portion and a third portion; wherein the first portionand the third portion are respectively pivoted to each end of the secondportion, and the first portion, the second portion, and the thirdportion are arranged in a linear configuration; wherein a first inclinedsurface of the first portion and a third inclined surface of the thirdportion can be respectively rotated relatively to a second inclinedsurface at each end of the second portion; whereby a non-zero includedangle is formed either between the first portion and the second portion,or between the third portion and the second portion upon rotation ofsaid second portion relative to a respective said third portion or firstportion.
 10. The rotatable housing of the computer peripheral device asclaimed in claim 9, wherein each of the first portion and the thirdportion has an axle, and each end of the second portion has a bearingfor receiving the corresponding axle.
 11. The rotatable housing of thecomputer peripheral device as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of theaxles has a rib, and each of the bearing correspondingly has a groovefor receiving the rib
 12. The rotatable housing of the computerperipheral device as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least the firstportion or third portion contains a peripheral unit.